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Laman Ismayilova

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Formula 1 returns to Baku this week as the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix gets underway on the city's famous street circuit.

The race, the 15th round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, will run from September 24 to 26. The Grand Prix will be held on Saturday this year, with the schedule changed because September 27 is Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day.

Free practice will take place on Thursday, followed by final practice and qualifying on Friday. The 51-lap race will be held on Saturday.

Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku at the top of the drivers' championship. The Mercedes driver has 81 points more than his teammate George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton is third. Reigning world champion Lando Norris is also among the leading drivers.

Antonelli won the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, taking his eighth win of the season. Mercedes have won 10 of the 14 races so far and lead the constructors' standings.

Norris will be looking to respond after finishing behind Antonelli in Madrid despite starting from pole position. McLaren will face the usual Baku setup challenge, with the cars needing good speed on the long straights while also performing well through the slower corners.

The Baku City Circuit is 6.003 kilometers long and has 20 corners. It passes through the streets of the capital and includes the narrow section around Icherisheher before reaching the long straight along the Baku waterfront.

The track is known for its long straights and heavy braking zones. Teams have to decide how much downforce to run, as more downforce can help in the corners but can also reduce speed on the straights.

Baku has hosted Formula 1 since 2016, when the race was held as the European Grand Prix. It became the Azerbaijan Grand Prix the following year.

The first Azerbaijan Grand Prix was won by Daniel Ricciardo in 2017. Lewis Hamilton won in 2018, followed by Valtteri Bottas in 2019. Sergio Perez won in 2021 and 2023, Max Verstappen took victory in 2022 and 2025, while Oscar Piastri won in 2024.

Seven different drivers have won the nine Azerbaijan Grands Prix held so far.

Charles Leclerc has taken pole position four times in Baku but has not yet won the race.

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will also be the first race of a triple-header, followed by the Malaysian and Singapore Grands Prix.

The teams now head into another weekend on one of Formula 1's most distinctive circuits, with qualifying, strategy and the narrow streets of Baku likely to play an important part in the outcome.